Obesity is a life-threatening disorder in which there is an increased risk of morbidity and mortality arising from concomitant diseases such as type II diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer and gallbladder disease.
Obesity is now a major healthcare issue in the Western World and increasingly in some third world countries. The increase in numbers of obese people is due largely to the increasing preference for high fat content foods but also the decrease in activity in most people's lives. In the last 10 years there has been a 30% increase in the incidence of obesity in the USA such that currently about 30% of the population of the USA is now considered obese.
Whether someone is classified as overweight or obese is generally determined on the basis of their body mass index (BMI) which is calculated by dividing body weight (kg) by height squared (m2). Thus, the units of BMI are kg/m2 and it is possible to calculate the BMI range associated with minimum mortality in each decade of life. Overweight is defined as a BMI in the range 25-30 kg/m2, and obesity as a BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 (see Table 1 below).
TABLE 1CLASSIFICATION OF WEIGHT BYBODY MASS INDEX (BMI)BMICLASSIFICATION<18.5Underweight18.5-24.9Normal25.0-29.9Overweight30.0-34.9Obesity (Class I)35.0-39.9Obesity (Class II)>40  Extreme Obesity (Class III)
As the BMI increases there is an increased risk of death from a variety of causes that are independent of other risk factors. The most common diseases associated with obesity are cardiovascular disease (particularly hypertension), diabetes (obesity aggravates the development of diabetes), gall bladder disease (particularly cancer) and diseases of reproduction. Research has shown that even a modest reduction in body weight can correspond to a significant reduction in the risk of developing coronary heart disease.
There are problems however with the BMI definition in that it does not take into account the proportion of body mass that is muscle in relation to fat (adipose tissue). To account for this, obesity can also be defined on the basis of body fat content: greater than 25% in males and greater than 30% in females.
Obesity considerably increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases as well. Coronary insufficiency, atheromatous disease, and cardiac insufficiency are at the forefront of the cardiovascular complications induced by obesity. It is estimated that if the entire population had an ideal weight, the risk of coronary insufficiency would decrease by 25% and the risk of cardiac insufficiency and of cerebral vascular accidents would decrease by 35%. The incidence of coronary diseases is doubled in subjects less than 50 years of age who are 30% overweight. The diabetes patient faces a 30% reduced lifespan. After age 45, people with diabetes are about three times more likely than people without diabetes to have significant heart disease and up to five times more likely to have a stroke. These findings emphasize the inter-relations between risks factors for diabetes and coronary heart disease and the potential value of an integrated approach to the prevention of these conditions based on the prevention of obesity (Perry, I. J., et al., BMJ 310, 560-564 (1995)).
Diabetes has also been implicated in the development of kidney disease, eye diseases and nervous system problems. Kidney disease, also called nephropathy, occurs when the kidney's “filter mechanism” is damaged and protein leaks into urine in excessive amounts and eventually the kidney fails. Diabetes is also a leading cause of damage to the retina at the back of the eye and increases risk of cataracts and glaucoma. Finally, diabetes is associated with nerve damage, especially in the legs and feet, which interferes with the ability to sense pain and contributes to serious infections. Taken together, diabetes complications are one of the nation's leading causes of death.
The first line of treatment is to offer diet and life style advice to patients such as reducing the fat content of their diet and increasing their physical activity. However, many patients find this difficult and need additional help from drug therapy to maintain results from these efforts.
Most currently marketed products have been unsuccessful as treatments for obesity because of a lack of efficacy or unacceptable side-effect profiles. The most successful drug so far was the indirectly acting 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) agonist d-fenfluramine (Redux™) but reports of cardiac valve defects in up to one third of patients led to its withdrawal by the FDA in 1998.
In addition, two drugs have recently been launched in the USA and Europe: Orlistat (Xenical™), a drug that prevents absorption of fat by the inhibition of pancreatic lipase, and Sibutramine (Reductil™), a 5-HT/noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor. However, side effects associated with these products may limit their long-term utility. Treatment with Xenical™ is reported to induce gastrointestinal distress in some patients, while Sibutramine has been associated with raised blood pressure in some patients.
Serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission plays an important role in numerous physiological processes both in physical and in psychiatric disorders. 5-HT has been implicated in the regulation of feeding behavior. 5-HT appears to work by inducing a feeling of fullness or satiety so eating stops earlier and fewer calories are consumed. It has been shown that a stimulatory action of 5-HT on the 5HT2C receptor plays an important role in the control of eating and in the anti-obesity effect of d-fenfluramine. As the 5-HT2C receptor is expressed in high density in the brain (notably in the limbic structures, extrapyramidal pathways, thalamus and hypothalamus, i.e. PVN and DMH, and predominantly in the choroid plexus) and is expressed in low density or is absent in peripheral tissues, a selective 5-HT2C receptor agonist can be a more effective and safe anti-obesity agent. Also, 5-HT2C knockout mice are overweight with cognitive impairment and susceptibility to seizure.
It is believed that 5HT2C may play a role in obsessive compulsive disorder, some forms of depression, and epilepsy. Accordingly, agonists can have anti-panic properties, and properties useful for the treatment of sexual dysfunction.
In sum, the 5HT2C receptor is a receptor target for the treatment of obesity and psychiatric disorders, and it can be seen that there is a need for selective 5HT2C agonists which safely decrease food intake and body weight. The present invention is directed to these, as well as other, important ends.